Wood to fill assistant city attorney's post

STOCKTON - The City Attorney's Office in Stockton filled a long vacant second-chair seat, hiring Modesto's lead city attorney, Susana Alcala Wood.

Scott Smith

STOCKTON - The City Attorney's Office in Stockton filled a long vacant second-chair seat, hiring Modesto's lead city attorney, Susana Alcala Wood.

No stranger to Stockton, Wood served as a deputy city attorney here from 1993 to 2001.

City Attorney John Luebberke called Wood, 50, a respected colleague and a welcome addition to his office.

"She's someone that I've known in the business for a very, very long time," Luebberke said. "This is exciting for me. It really is the opportunity to begin the work of preparing the office for what comes after bankruptcy."

An attorney since 1991, Wood also worked for five years as a supervising deputy city attorney in Sacramento. She earned her law degree from Whittier College School of Law.

The Modesto City Council in 2006 appointed her as that city's top attorney. The Modesto Bee reported that she made $155,838 annually and had complained that she did not earn pay equal to colleagues in comparable cities.

Luebberke in 2012 earned $197,075 for the year in actual take-home pay.

As the assistant city attorney in Stockton, Wood will draw $165,105 yearly, said Luebberke, adding that she will begin working here in mid-November.

The position she'll take has been vacant for the past three years. It was filled part time by attorney Michael Roush, who works in his retirement, said Luebberke.

The Stockton City Attorney's Office will now have six attorneys, with one vacant deputy attorney position, Luebberke said.

Luebberke said he and Wood worked together in Sacramento, and when she previously served in Stockton, he was in Lodi, where the two also had an opportunity to interact.

"It's a rare opportunity to be able to appoint somebody with high skills and experience," Luebberke said. "I'm very pleased."